Damaged
by SamieJamesBait
Summary: They met as fractured children and re-connected as broken adults. He wants to fix her and she hates him for it. She isn't sure she can love him the way he needs and he hates her for it. Edward and Bella were Damaged when apart and now they're bound back together they just might destroy it all.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: Damaged was pulled by due to language used in the summary. After being unable to login to for _AGES_ I'm finally back, and I'm going to re-upload Damaged. I'll be reworking the chapters slightly as I bring them back, some of them were written years ago and a fresh eye is truly needed! **

**To the new readers: Welcome. I hope you like what I've done with our beloved characters. Prepare for a bumpy ride. These guys deal with life issues and then some when I play with them ;).**

**To the old readers: Thank you. Thank you infinitely for sticking around and hounding me to write. I'm gutted I lost all your comments, especially the ones I never had a chance to read. Thank you, also, for giving me the encouragement you all have whilst I've been writing Damaged. I've matured writing this story: turning from a teenager to an adult. Your feedback has changed more than you know.**

**Also, I am British, as are the Damaged Cullens. If you don't understand certain slang, and I don't explain, shoot me a message.  
**

**Damaged**_  
Chapter 1_

_Every Night, and every Morn,  
Some to misery are born._

_- W. Blake_

* * *

1977, September 6th .

* * *

Bella Swan was tired; she had been sleeping soundly until her mother had arrived home, having obviously decided to bring her 'work' home with her. Now all Bella's too knowing ears could hear was her mother's harsh laughter over the faint sounds of Madonna.

Rubbing her hands against her sleep sticky eyes she climbed from the bed quietly, trying not to wake her brother Emmett, who lay beside her at the opposite end of the worn out mattress on the floor that their mother called a bed.

"Bella?"

_Of course he was awake_, she thought bitterly, he always tried to lay awake until _**she**_ arrived home. "It's me Em, just going to the toilet."

Emmett sat up in the bed looking at his sister. "Not whilst she has a punter out there. Remember what happened the last time?"

Bella felt the bile rise in her throat, of course she remembered, she would _**never**_ forget.

Emmett climbed from the bed, smiled at his sister in the dark cold room and felt guilty to the pit of his stomach for mentioning 'the last time.' "Tell you what freckles; I'll go check who it is, see if they are going to be going any time soon, okay? You just hop back on that bed and wait for me, d_on't move?_"

Emmett watched as Bella climbed back onto the bed and smiled at her once more, then he turned to the bedroom door and removed the wedged chair he had jammed there earlier. He tip-toed down the filth strewn hallway and peeped his head around the door frame of the living room: the actual door having been kicked off months ago by an angry punter.

Seeing who his mother was with, Emmett sighed in relief. "Bell's it's fine, it's only Phil."

Bella sat nervously on the bed, biting down on her lip. When she heard Emmett call to her she released the breath she had been holding through her nose. She jumped from the bed and ran along the creaky floor boards to the bathroom.

Phil sat in Renee Swan's living room, content. He was enjoying the warmth of the brandy Renee had just poured for him in the only clean glass in the flat. He was also looking forward to the inevitable leg-over he would be having later. He never really fucked 'his girls' but he made an exception for Renee. She was stunning for a junkie on the game, all long legs and big tits. Not to mention she was fucking dynamo in bed. He finished his drink in two swigs and was about to crack on with the night's business when he noticed Renee's son peeping his head around the door frame.

As Emmett called to his sister, Phil sat surveying him. Emmett was a big lad already, and in a few years he would be one hell of a strong man. Phil decided that he would introduce Emmett to the streets, get him on the payroll. As he planned young Emmett's introduction into his sleazy world, he noticed the other one, the young girl, run past the door way and made a mental note to keep the local lads away from her. She was a real stunner already and she was still only a pup! If he played his cards right, he could get a very high price for her 'breaking in', then have her working for him exclusive by the age of thirteen.

* * *

1977 September 7th

* * *

Bella was still tired the next morning as she made breakfast. Emmett had ran to the shop for some milk, and no doubt ended up standing on the corner smoking, leaving Bella to cook the eggs; a task she was well used to now; she had been doing it ever since she was big enough to climb onto a chair to reach the cooker.

Phil stood in the kitchen doorway, watching Bella cook. "Need a hand?" he asked, looking into Bella's big brown eyes. It worried him slightly that this child seemed to be lacking all the mandatory innocence required for childhood, but he pushed the thought from his mind. All the children around here were born in 'the know'.

Bella eyed him suspiciously, before nodding. After all, Phil was alright, Phil never made her sit on his knee whilst grabbing at her and asking her to call him 'daddy'. No, Phil was definitely not like some of her mother's other 'friends'.

"Want me to rinse some plates?" he asked, already rolling up his sleeves.

Bella nodded again, smiling now and honestly glad for the help. For his part, Phil tried to hold his breath as he rinsed clean four plates, plates that had clearly been stewing in the sink for weeks. It was all necessary though, for him, it was all part of his plan to gain Bella's trust. The entire time he was washing the plates he was running through a list of 'clients' in his mind, trying to decide who would pay him the most for Bella's innocence.

Angela Webber, the Swan's social worker stood, outside their flat in Hulme waiting for the door to open and worrying about the radio in her car; the local kids would have it off in a heartbeat if she wasn't quick. She tapped again on the door, hearing voices inside... voices of people blatantly ignoring the front door. She gripped the strap of her shoulder bag tightly as she bent down and lifted the letterbox.

"Miss Swan! Miss Swan I can hear you in there. Open this door immediately! You have missed your last few app..."

The door swung open, startling the normally passive social worker.

"What d'ya want?" Renee snarled, her foul breath disgusting Angela.

Composing herself, Angela tried to smile as friendly as she could. "Miss Swan, we have to keep the appointments the court ordered, and you have missed the last," she checked her notes, "three."

Renee didn't answer, instead, she turned her back to the social worker and walked back to the living room. She was glad now that she had made Emmett clear all the rubbish from the hallway last night, otherwise she would be in a world of shit right now.

Angela gulped another breath of clean air before entering the stale smelling flat.

"So, I would like to check a few details to start with okay?" She pushed a loose strand of hair back behind her ear.

Renee ignored her, in her trademark ignorant way, so she continued.

"Isabella Marie Swan is seven; her birthday is September 13th, next week?" Angela waited for

Renee to confirm the details. Finally Renee grunted which Angela noted as a yes.

"And Emmett Swan is twelve?"

"Yeah," Renee replied, wishing the social worker would fuck off, she could feel her veins crawling and knew she needed a fix, and soon.

"Okay, and um, where are the children?"

Renee spilt a few drops of cold tea on her knee, exposed by the short clingy nightgown she was wearing.

"They're out on the front," Renee flipped her hand towards the front of the tower block, Angela felt a chill run down her spine. She was a mother herself, to twin boys, and she couldn't, for the life of her, comprehend how mothers like Renee Swan discussed their children in such an off handed manor.

"Well, I will need to see them before I leave." Angela spotted the hostile look in Renee's eyes and tried to defuse the situation. "Courts orders."

Renee eyed the social worker suspiciously, before walking to the front door and shouting the kids.  
"Emmett, Bella, get your arse's up here now!"

At the sound of her mother's voice, Bella immediately looked up to the flat. Scanning her brain quickly she wondered what she had done.

"Emmett!" she called, seeing her brother smoking at the end of the street.

"What's up, freckles?" He didn't mind people hearing his nickname for his little sister; nobody would dare say anything to him anyway.

"Mum is calling us."

"Shit." Emmett muttered, stubbing out his cigarette before walking quickly to where Bella stood.

"What we done Emmett?"

Emmett ruffled his sister's hair. "Nout, freckles, probably the social worker came back that's all."

Bella smiled then, she liked the social worker, she was nice and she never swore at them.

Angela was writing notes as Emmett and Bella entered the living room. Taking in the appearance of the children the social worker was shocked to her core, although she tried to hide it. Emmett was dressed in a red stained t-shirt that was clearly too small for him, and Bella was wearing a thin dirty white dress and sandals, in this weather! Neither of them were wearing anything remotely warm, even for the kids around here they were dressed sparsely.

Bella bounced to her usual seat; center of the rug next to the fireplace. Angela had never seen that fireplace turned on.

Emmett remained at the doorway, not wanting his mother to smell smoke on his clothes. It wasn't that she would be bothered that her twelve year old son was smoking, he knew she didn't give a shit about that. The only reason he avoided her when smelling of smoke was because then she would know that it was him pinching her cigs.

"I believe it's your birthday next week, Bella. Are you excited?"

"Yes ma'am." She didn't feel the need to tell the kind social worker that she wasn't expecting anything special for her birthday. In fact, she was sure only Emmett would remember it at all.

"How are you, Emmett? I hear you haven't been suspended from school in three months! Congratulations and keep it up, kid."

Emmett, usually full of bravado from constantly playing the part of 'hard man', nearly cried at Angela's words, not because of what she said, but because she actually cared... and meant it. Instead, he nodded his head.

Renee's skin was burning now and she was desperate to get rid of the nosy bitch, as she called Angela. She told the kids to go out and play. They didn't need to be told twice.

"The workers tell me you dropped out of the programme Renee."

"I'm cured; I kicked the habit, no need to go back right." She laughed bitterly.

"You still working the streets?" Angela decided not to sugar coat the question.

Renee was annoyed now. "I gotta earn money! Now if you wouldn't mind fucking off I've gotta see a man about a dog."

Angela almost dropped her pen. "I best be leaving now anyway, I will be back next week, same time." Angela informed her, rising from her seat.

"Sure, sure." Renee replied, already planning to be out.

* * *

1977 September 8th

* * *

Bella was on her way back from the shop with the bread and milk when Phil pulled up beside her.

"Want a lift?"

Bella eyed the man in the passenger seat wearily.

Phil, noticing her apprehension, smiled. "It's okay, he's sound. He only bites blondes!"

Bella laughed at the joke and climbed into the back seat, it was freezing out here anyway.

Phil looked through the rear view mirror at Bella. She sat sucking her thumb and rubbing her ear, oblivious to the conversation in the front seat.

"So what do you think?" Phil asked the man beside him.

Marcus smiled. "You were right. How old is she?"

"Erm, seven or eight."

Marcus whistled. "And already a beauty. Alright, you have a deal. I don't think I can wait until she is thirteen. We will meet again in a few months and see how much she has grown."

"So we have a deal?" Phil asked greedily.

Marcus handed Phil a thick brown envelope. "Just make sure no-one touches her. I don't want her spoiled."

Phil nodded. "Of course."

"Remember Phil, your discretion is required here. Nobody hears a monkey right?"

Phil nodded once more, pulling up outside Bella's house.

Bella, still blissfully unaware, thanked Phil and hopped from the car, running up to the flat to get out of the cold.

Renee was screwing. She needed a fix desperately but didn't want to go out to work in this weather. That prick, Phil, had promised to come around and see her tonight, and the fucker had not shown.  
She poured herself another brandy and swallowed it straight before pouring another.

"Emmett what time is it?" Renee screeched, whilst hazardously applying her eye-shadow.  
Emmett sighed, closing the bedroom door behind him quietly, he had just gotten Bella off to sleep, and if his mother didn't shut up, she would wake her up again.

"It's just past eleven, mum. Why?" He knew what she was going to say.

"Because I've gotta go to work you stupid shit. That ponce Phil didn't come, did he?" Renee really didn't want to go out to work tonight, but she was on a bad comedown and knew she had to.

"Right, how do I look?" Renee paused at the front door.

"Beautiful mum, as always." Emmett loved his mum dearly.

Renee smiled. "That's my boy."

Emmett smiled back and watched as his mother walked out the front door. That was the last time he or his sister would see their mother.

* * *

**Thanks for reading chapter one, please leave a review and let me know what you think. Good or bad, feedback is appreciated.**


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: I am not Stephenie Meyer.**

**A/N: This chapter is a little on the short side, but the point that needed making is made. I think.**

**Beta'd by - Cassandra Edwards (FFFW) arfalcon (Project Team Beta) the-masticator (Project Team Beta)**

* * *

**Words**

**Safe: It's British slang for hello/alright/fine/okay – things like that.**

**Care Home - A Care Home is a children's Foster Home. We just refer to it as a Care home in Manchester.**

* * *

**Chapter 2**

_Examine everything carefully, hold fast to that which is good.  
-Thessalonians 5:21_

* * *

_1977 September 15th_

* * *

Bella sat leaning against Emmett's shoulder in the back seat of Angela's car trying to sleep. The social worker had turned up a week later, just as she had promised and she'd had the shock of her life when she found two dirty children, home alone, no food, no electricity and no mother in sight. Emmett had point blank refused to tell her anything until Angela had pointed out that Bella would get seriously ill without food. She had also been forced to promise not to split them up, a promise she was determined to keep.

"So where are we going?" Emmett asked.

Angela placed her phone back into her bag and started the engine.

"Well, Emmett, the only place available on such short notice for two people is Rainbows Children's Home in London."

Bella and Emmett looked at each other wide eyed. The whole time Emmett had been sitting in the car he had been wishing that his mother would hurry up and come home, as he knew she would, so going to London frightened him. That was too far, how would his mother retrieve them from there? She may be a useless mum at times, but he loved her.

Bella and Emmett were sitting in the office at Rainbows Children's Home waiting quietly for a very tired Angela to finish 'checking them in.' In all the commotion, Angela had forgotten that they hadn't eaten in two days. It was nothing new to them, but all the same, they were hungry.

Emmett's stomach made itself known with a hearty growl.

"Oh dear, I'm sorry kids." Angela spoke guiltily, forgetting in all the commotion that the children hadn't eaten in a few days.

Mike Newton, the deputy manager, smiled sympathetically at Bella and Emmett.

"I think we are just about finished here. Come through to the dining room, supper is being served now."

Angela shook hands with Mike and promised the children she would come back and see them as soon as she could, before starting the long journey back home.

Edward Mason was sitting in his usual seat at the boy's table waiting for the new arrivals so he could size them up then eat his supper.

He saw Bella first, entering the room ahead of Emmett. Both were wearing ill-fitted clothes that Angela had managed to dig out for them; at least they were clean. Bella felt herself go hot with embarrassment at the blatant scrutiny she and Emmett received from the eleven children in the room.

Emmett held his head high and walked directly to the boys' table, staring anyone in the eye who dared to stare back. He noticed Bella hesitating, unsure of where sit and beckoned her to follow him.

Edward, instinctively knowing Emmett would have a strong personality, told the two boys opposite him to move down the table. Tyler and Eric mumbled a little, but both moved. Edward nodded to Emmett to take the seats that were now vacant and Emmett and Bella sat down.

"Safe for that, my name's Emmett, and this is my little sister, Bella." Emmett extended his fist to Edward.

"Safe Emmett, my name's Edward. You need anything you let me know, right?" Edward smacked fists with Emmett.

Emmett smiled at him.

"Sound."

Edward smiled at Bella who was sucking her thumb and rubbing her ear.

The boys chatted about the home, Emmett trying to find out how everything 'worked' and how he could get his hands on some cigarettes.

Mike called the children to the hatch to grab their toast and Emmett began to rise before Edward motioned with his hands for him to stop.

"Chill, man, it's sorted."

Emmett sat back in his seat impressed as Eric walked over with two plates of toast. He set one down in front of Edward and the other in front of Emmett. Emmett's fists clenched. Before he could react Edward spoke quietly but furiously.

"Forgetting something, Eric?" He shifted his eyes to Bella.

_Eric couldn't believe it! He wanted him to serve a girl!_

"Eric." Edward whispered, sternly causing Eric to nearly trip over his own feet, rushing back to grab Bella a plate.

Emmett slid his plate over to Bella as they waited and Bella tucked in happily.

"So how long you in for?" Edward asked mid-bite.

Emmett decided to answer. He liked Edward already, he clearly had bravado and respect, two things Emmett admired, being a hard man in the making himself.

"The duration by the looks of it. You?" Emmett didn't inform Edward that he still adamantly believed his mother would come get them soon. She loved them. He loved her.

Edward smiled.

"Same, mate, but they find a lot of kids new homes here, even at our age, so you never know, right?"

Eric returned with Emmett's food and apologized for the delay grudgingly.

Emmett grabbed Eric by his shirt and whispered in his ear that was faintly covered by slick black hair.

"If she ever asks you to get her anything, anything at all, you do it. No questions asked."

Eric nodded profusely and Emmett glanced to make sure Bella couldn't hear. Satisfied that she couldn't he continued.

"If she ever thinks you are being anything other than her best fucking friend I will rip your fucking throat out. Now get the fuck away from me before I lose my temper."

Eric looked into Emmett's eyes and knew that he meant it. He meant every word.

Releasing his shirt, Eric nearly fell over in his haste to get away.

"You were supposed to share with Eric, but I think it's best if you share with me, after that little debate." Edward smiled, laughing lightly.

Emmett nodded, smiling back before surveying his new surroundings. Not bad he thought, compared to where they came from.

Edward finally looked to Bella.

"Hey kid, I think you have your own room, cushy ey?" Edward realized his mistake immediately by the alarm in Bella's eyes.

Bella was horrified but she didn't protest, she didn't yet know what these strangers were capable off.

Emmett was oblivious to Bella's alarm as he sat staring at the clock waiting for them to be told to head to their rooms; he was desperate for a cig.

"So," Emmett said as Edward and he dragged his bags into the bedroom, "you smoke?"

Edward nodded.

"Just cigs though. None of that brown crap. We had a girl in here a couple weeks back who smoked that shit." Emmett was surprised at how in 'the know' this London kid was.

"What happened to her?" Emmett asked, opening the window.

"Overdosed. Poor bitch was pregnant as well. Dead at fifteen, her and the kid. Heroin's a mug's game."

Emmett didn't reply as he inhaled the cigarette smoke. He knew more than most how right Edward was.

Edward noticed the white cork on Emmett's cig and shook his head.

"How the fuck can you smoke that shit?"

Emmett laughed.

"Swiped it from that ponce Mike downstairs."

Edward removed the vent panel from the wall at the bottom of his bed and revealed a packet of twenty Richmonds. He tossed one to Emmett.

Emmett was impressed.

"How d'ya get these?"

Edward tapped his nose.

"Mate of mine who used to live here moved around the corner, he goes in for me."

"Sound." Emmett nodded, lighting the new cigarette.

Bella had been left alone in her new room. Jessica, the other worker, had bathed her and dressed her in her pyjamas. Bella hadn't the heart to inform Jessica that she was eight and not four, so she had gone along complacently, making a mental note to ask Emmett to have a word for her. She was far too old to be bathed.

She sat in the corner of her room, her knees huddled to her chest, crying silently, staring at the chair she had wedged behind the door. Old habits die hard.

It was two am, and Edward lay on his bed, staring at the ceiling and listening to Emmett snore. Desperate for a piss, he climbed from the bed and crept from the room and down the hall to the boy's bathroom. As he passed the corner of the corridor that held the girls rooms he paused, hearing the faint sound of hiccups.

Tiptoeing down the corridor, he was not surprised to find the noise coming from the new girl, Bella's room. He had been the same on his first night, but that was ancient history now.

He tapped softly on the door.

"Bella?"

There was no reply.

"Bella are you okay?"

Still no answer, but he did hear her slide over to behind the door.

Edward sat behind the door, leaning his back against the cold wood. Bella sat on the other side, exactly the same except she was sucking her thumb.

"It's okay, you know. Everyone here is alright. I promise you kid, everything will be okay. Besides, at least you don't have to listen to your brother snoring all night!"

Bella laughed, remembering Emmett's loud snores and Edward, hearing her, smiled.

"You have to be brave now, Bella. Your brother will look after you, but you have to be grown up now as well, kid."

Bella wiped her hand across her tear-stained face and felt like a weight had been lifted from her shoulders.

"It's too dark in here." She scanned the room for the millionth time, looking for imagined shadows.

An idea came into Edward's head.

"I can help with that, kid. One minute." Edward jumped up and hurried back to his room, ducking under his bed to retrieve his blue shoebox quietly, so that he didn't wake snoring beauty.

Retrieving what he needed, he tiptoed back to Bella's room and tapped once more on the door.

"Okay, kid, I can make it so it ain't so dark, but you have to trust me and open the door."

Bella didn't hesitate, removing the chair and opening the door and allowing Edward into her life.

Edward knew the layout of this room, so he walked directly to the plug socket and plugged in his batman night light that he used to use. Bella felt calmer with the light in the room, she hadn't needed a light at home, but then she had had Emmett.

"You gonna be alright now?"

Bella nodded.

"Alright, I'll see you at breakfast." Edward made his way back to the door. "Oh, and Bella." He turned back to look at her, "Don't mention the light to anyone, kay?"

Bella smiled and nodded.

"Cool. Night kid."

Then he was gone.

Bella climbed from her bed and jammed the chair back under the door before climbing back into bed.

Edward waited outside the door until he heard her settle into bed, then he continued back to the toilet, satisfied at least that she had gone to bed.


End file.
